Crowdfunding Primer for Social Enterprises

Identify low hanging fruit.

Ideally, in the planning stage, you will already have secured pledges from the “low-hanging fruit” at your organization people who already know and love you. Ask staff, donors, board members, volunteers, friends, family members, city officials, partners, anyone and everyone. As an added incentive, create teams to see who can raise the most money, with a fun incentive at the end, like a half-day off or a cocktail party.

Use online brand ambassadors.

Online brand ambassadors are those advocates who share your information online, via social media, email, or blogging. Reach out to them for help with the campaign, and make sure you give them the tools to ask others and spread the word. Create a folder in Dropbox with sample tweets, Facebook posts, and graphics so they can just cut and paste the information.

Work with influencers.

Conduct online research to find others who can help spread the word or donate. Don’t just assume that just because someone has a lot of Twitter followers they will be interested in your cause (just as you wouldn’t assume a millionaire you have never met would donate a large sum to your organization). Approach influencers personally – never send out an impersonal group email. Let them know that you want their help specifically, and why you think it would be a good match. They are looking out for their online networks also, so be polite and be convincing.

Spread the word!

Use your email list, your own network and your nonprofit’s online communities to spread the word. Online fundraising platform Fundable found that social media is a critical factor in crowdfunding success –for every increase in Facebook friends that share the information, the probability of success increases drastically (from 9%, 20%, to 40%). Blog about the campaign. Work with local reporters. Shout from the roof tops!

Don’t set it and forget it!

Acknowledge people as they donate, retweet or share information about the campaign.